People group profile · PG011598
The Ethiopian Jews of Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Jews of Ethiopia, numbering about 9,800 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a community of pre-Rabbinic Jews who have lived in Ethiopia for over 2000 years. They remained faithful to Judaism after the conversion of the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum to Christianity in the 4th century CE.
They are an indigenous people in the Jews people cluster of the Jewish Peoples. Their primary religion is Judaism, and they primarily speak Amharic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 9,800
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Jews
- Primary language
- Amharic (amh)
- Primary religion
- Judaism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Beta Israel
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- northern Ethiopia, around Lake Tana
Where they live
Gospel status
The Ethiopian Jews are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Ethiopian Jews
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Gospel resources in Amharic
- Bible available, published 2014
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Amharic)
- JESUS (Amharic)
- Magdalena (Amharic)
- The Savior (Amharic)
Bibles
- 1962 Bible Society of Ethiopia · text
- 1988 Common Version · audio
- New Amharic Standard Version (NASV) · video
- Orthodox-Septuagint Deuterocanonical Version · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ethiopian Jews
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Jew, Ethiopian in other countries
The same people (ROP3 102987) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian Jews | Israel | 169,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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